Novaya Gazeta Editor Detained for Allegedly Discrediting Russian Military
The detention was executed by officers from the Russian Center for Combating Extremism, as reported by the American news agency Associated Press, with information sourced from "Novaya Gazeta." Sokolov underwent interrogation at a Moscow court on Thursday, where he was charged based on materials he had published on the Telegram channel.
10:26 AM EST, March 1, 2024
According to Russian officials, Sokolov's publications contained "linguistic and psychological elements that allegedly discredited the actions of the authorities." As a result, the journalist was fined 30,000 rubles (approximately $500).
The international organization Reporters Without Borders has voiced its opposition to this arrest. They posted on their official X profile, "We protest against this arrest, which serves as further evidence of the draconian censorship prevailing in Russia."
In September 2022, a Moscow court revoked the license of "Novaya Gazeta," with Sergei Sokolov assuming the role of editor-in-chief a year after this development. Russian authorities designated his predecessor, Dmitry Muratov, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, as a foreign agent.
Following the initiation of the Ukraine invasion, the Russian parliament passed laws forbidding any acts that discredit the Russian military or spread false information about the conflict. Consequently, numerous independent Russian media outlets have been shut down, as detailed in reports by AP.
Source: AP
